Tainted Fear
by NTR
Summary: Semi-sequel to Ravenous For Revenge. Focuses on anomalies.
1. Tangible Tension

This is an independent story but some characters that make appearances were in my last story Ravenous For Revenge. It's not necessary but if you want a lot of inside information on some characters than you might read that first. Please review with comments or complaints. Thanks a lot.  
  
  
The smell of beer and sweat mixed in the smoke in the air to create a tangible, thick fog. Light filtered out of rows of archaic lights hanging from the basement of the ancient bar. Layers of dirt and grime grew and twisted all over the ground as dozens of drunken men yelled and screamed over the sound of pounding flesh. Fists wet with sweat and blood slammed into innocent men and it was all that the people watching cared for in this little world. This world where everything about their sad and broken lives was left behind in the decaying outer world.  
  
Inside a small metal cage resided everyone's hopes and dreams of making it big or making a buck as another two competitors stepped inside and another body was dragged out of the cage leaving a streak of crimson on the stained canvas below. A man just barely twenty kneeled down in the corner of the cage and wrapped his hands in thin strips of cloth as he made a silent note of prayer to all that he had in his life. Not to his past or to any mythical figure that demanded his obedience but to everything that mattered to him. He slowly rose up and turned around as the announce shouted out his fighting name of "Harbinger" and the crowd roared in approval and raced to place last minute bets.  
  
Another man stood in the other corner and merely glared down at Harbinger. He was nearly four inches taller and bulged with muscles all over his body. This was his third fight this week which gave him two deaths. In this world there was no law because those who enforced it were just as eager to see it broken. The larger man took his time after the bell rang as he paced his foe who stood completely calm and serene near his corner.  
  
The man rushed forward landing a strong fist into Harbinger's chest that sent him reeling into the barbed wire fencing. He nearly yelped in pain as he pulled himself free of the clutches of the wire and hurled himself at his foe. The stronger man quickly gained the upper hand again and was soon pummeling Harbinger towards the barbed wire. At the very edge of the cage the bruiser pushed Harbinger into the wire with all his strength which sent a roar of approval from the crowd. He stepped back and raised his hands in the air as he reveled in his power and fame.  
  
Achingly and slowly Harbinger pulled himself off and dragged himself bleeding back to the center of the ring. The larger man turned to him with a smile on his face and a look of respect for the smaller man's temerity, "Fall down now kid. You ain't got what it takes to be here with me. I know you still gots some bloods in you somewhere."  
  
Harbinger was doubled over as he clutched a gash across his stomach. He looked up into his opponents face and smiled just very briefly like he held a secret that the other fighter wasn't aware of. It startled the man briefly but he quickly decided to finish the fight here. He sent a quick jab into Harbinger's stomach who nearly fell over in pain. To the older man it was all over here as he held his right fist high in the air causing the drunken mob surrounding them to scream even louder both in praise and in insults. The force that was trailing behind his fist was enough to kill Harbinger before he even slammed into the ground.  
  
With all of his body weight in his fist it sent the man tumbling forward as Harbinger slid out of the way. Harbinger quickly laid several punches into his mid section and landed a brutal kick into his face. The man stood up as he tasted his own blood and he yelled in rage before throwing himself at Harbinger. Again he was too quick but this time he slammed his entire leg across the larger man's stomach before using his elbow to strike deep into his back. The man fell to the ground and struggled to bring himself up as he tried to regain himself from shock more than his injuries.  
  
Harbinger kneeled down next to him and whispered into his ear, "Let's see how much you bleed, old man." With this he grabbed the back of the mans hair and threw him in a tumbling manner into the barbed wire. The way he was moving caused him to get tangled into the barbed wire as it sent cuts and gashes up and down his body. His pain and anger caused him to lash out and fight more fiercely creating even more cuts. The crowd watched in mortified silence as the man bled himself to death through his own fear and stupidity. No one spoke as Harbinger stepped out of the cage and two men rushed to remove the corpse from the cage.  
  
It took only moments before they were rushing to place their next bets. 


	2. Darkness of the Deep

"Persistent isn't he?" Syl said as she stared out the window at Police Chief Bravura as he shouted orders to the police officers that sealed the perimeter.  
Zane glanced over Syl's shoulder and out the window before replying, "Yeah. You'll have to give him that. Not very good at catching us but he never gives up."  
Syl smiled and backed away from the window, "You ready to get out of here?"  
Shrugging, Zane backed away from the window, "Whenever. It's not like we have anything to worry about."  
  
Zane's voice faltered at the last point of the sentence betraying his lack of confidence but he knew Syl was putting up the same front he was. He arched and stretched his back and his hand ran behind him to where his back was once broken. It had healed in a very short time. A combination of Manticore blood and a clean break according to Logan and his friend Sebastian. They didn't stay for long and left that very night before Max could wake.  
  
The way Zane figured it was that Zack didn't want to face Max when she woke up and so he moved them quickly out of Seattle and into Canada where Zack always ran and hid. It wasn't long before he and Syl left and headed South back into the US to Portland where they were now. Last Zane had heard Krit was still with Zack though. That wasn't something Zane bothered himself with since he knew Zack could take care of himself and Krit. Right now he was more worried about their situation.  
  
Syl already had on a bullet proof vest and she helped Zane get his on quickly. It was atleast a little more added security and it wouldn't hurt. She pulled her blonde hair back and tied it off so it wouldn't obstruct her vision. She checked her sidearm to make sure the safety was off. It wasn't the SOCOM she liked to carry but it was an adequate Glock. Zane held a Fabrique Nationale M16A2 assault rifle which held a generous thirty rounds and would cause some havok.  
  
They looked at eachother and didn't say anything as they checked the window one last time. The room was pitch black so the soldiers outside couldn't see them but the hall light outside the closed door was on and Zane wasn't sure if that meant they were just outside or not. Syl stood to the one side of the door and Zane pressed against the handle side ready to kick the door against its hinges so it swung outward. Just before he counted to two Zane thought he heard something and signaled Syl to listen.  
  
Arching her ear upwards Syl listened intently on whatever Zane may have heard. Her sensitive ears picked up the sounds of the Manticore Ops outside and Zanes own heavy breathing but otherwise the air was still and silent. A chill went down her spine and she realized she would have rather heard something than nothing. The apartment door seemed to be radiating a cold mist and Syl could see that even Zane started to back away. Suddenly the window behind them shattered and they quickly turned around in time to see a dark figure in a leather trench coat roll towards the other side of the room.  
  
They both instinctively backed up and tried to focus on the darkness but the light filtering in from outside the window and from under the door caused their vision to be altered. There was just enough light in the room that their eyes were having difficulty adjusting to the darkness. They could hear their assailant rushing back and forth around the room in an effort to cause them to make an error out of fear and panic. It was Zane who made the mistake by firing three rounds from his M16A2 towards a random sound in the darkness.  
  
Syl immediately jumped back and rubbed at her eyes with her Glock still in her hand. The muzzle-flash from Zane's FN caused her straining eyes to be blinded. She saw exploding stars in front of her but her vision quickly began to clarify. To her right she heard several sounds of metal hitting stone and finally a crash as something heavy broke the wooden table in the middle of the room. Her vision adjusted just in time to see Zane on his back in the rubble of the large table. She quickly scanned the immediate area but she was too slow as she felt the wind rush out of her and two arms moving in opposite vertical directions collapse onto her Glock.  
  
The force caused her to drop the gun in a yelp of pain but she quickly swung her right hand and landed it square in the chest of her attacker. Even this close she couldn't make out any features as he wore a deep hood that gave him the look of one of the monks in the Budhist temple she had taken refuge in after her escape from Manticore. Syl quickly pushed into the man in front of her landing several punches as her attacker tried desperately to block her swings.  
  
A smile started to form on her face as her genetically enhanced skills began to take the better of her attacker. Finally, Syl used all of her weight into her right foot which she brought crashing into his chest and sent him flying into the darkness and crashing into furniture against the far wall. A light shone in Syl's eyes from the adrenaline rushing through her system as she pulled Zane up who groaned groggily. He stood up smiling at her and the both began searching for their weapons to make their escape as fast as possible. Syl was the first to find her Glock and she reached for it with her left hand.  
  
As she picked it up a military boot came crashing down onto the barrel of the gun and caused her to pull back in alarm, letting go of the gun. Looking up she stared into the deep hood of her attack as his shoulders rose and fell from heavy breathing. It was one of the only times in her life that she actually felt afraid. It was as if some demonic apparition had come to seal her fate and she felt completely helpless. In fear and panic she scurried backwards without even standing up and her mouth and throat were dry from fear.  
  
She watched as the empty hood moved to watch her as she moved away but the figure made no effort to follow her. It was then that Zane came bounding out of the darkness and used his whole frame to bring his right fist directly into the figures stomach. The attacker quickly doubled over and groaned as he struggled for air. Zane continued rushing carrying the figure with him and slammed him into the wall. His huge arms flexed as his clenched fists were brought continually into his foe's stomach. He watched as the body against the wall continuously tried to collapse but was kept up only by his fists continuously pummeling into it. Finally he took a step back and the figure fell in a heap onto the ground.  
  
Zane quickly rushed over to Syl when from behind him he heard a click and then a sound he had never heard before. It was as if a long piece of metal was sliding against another solid material. In any other context it would have been an interesting, almost compelling, sound but he got the distinct impression that this wasn't a good thing. Suddenly the door burst outward from the room and he was blinded by the light from the hall as he fell back onto Syl to protect her.  
  
Deputy Chief Holden Edwards was rushing down the hall past the soldiers that pressed against the wall to allow him through. The door to the room was off it's hinges and lying in the hallway and he barely listened as the Sergeant next to him spoke. He stepped into the now bright room and in the just to the right of the doorway were the limp forms of the fugitives that the government woman named Renfro had them searching for, Zane and Syl. Little did he know that she was populating the cold confines of a morgue freezer cabinent. 


	3. Nomlies

A beat up old 2004 Mustang sputtered to a stop right below the Greinspring bridge in Portland, Oregon. The figure behind the wheel shut off the lights before stepping out of the car and slamming the door behind him. A nearby street light illuminated his odd features and gave him a ghostly look. His eyes had no pupils and were a milky white which contrasted greatly with his yellowish green/gray skin tone and his bald head. His entire body was hairless due to his anaconda DNA. When he was born he was considered a huge success at Manticore until the scientists realized that they could incorporate animal DNA without physical traits showing through.  
  
The man licked at his lips and let out a soft hiss through his sharp jagged teeth as he waited impatiently. Suddenly a black figure fell from the bridge and crashed silently into the ground just feet from him. He stood up slowly and limped towards the car. He wore a hooded trench coat that swept about him even without any wind blowing. The moon rose up just behind him giving his hood a deep empty look that caused the other man to smile showing off his crude teeth. The cloaked figure removed the hood to reveal a man with an ashen skin tone and deep black eyes with a small sliver of white surrounding the enlarged pupils. He smiled almost charmingly as his limp disappeared and he reached the driver of the car.  
  
"Well?" the driver asked in a raspy and forced voice.  
"They are done. They now belong to the Portland P.D.," the ashen man spoke calmly as he rubbed his shin before climbing into the passenger side of the car. The driver quickly got in, started the car, and pulled away.  
"That wasn't..... the plan Kleer...... Do not fool...... with us......" the driver breathed out in a hiss like voice.  
"Do not start preaching to me Cond. The more dead Manticore people they find, the more questions they're left with. Those two will be sent back to Renfro and she will deal with them," Kleer stated in a cool voice that commanded superiority.  
Cond licked at his teeth causing small cuts on his tongue. He licked up the small amount of blood that started to climb the cracks in his teeth. "You should learn....... this not about you....... This bout all...... We are united now......."  
  
Kleer shook his head and his pupils shrank slightly revealing more white around them. He felt his leg again and could tell from experience that his leg was nearly healed from the fall off the bridge. Luckily it hadn't been a bad break so it healed quickly. Kleer had been one of the early prototypes with shark DNA and while it gave him the "advantages" of narcoleptic insomnia and large surges in adrenaline it also made him prone to breaks and fractures from his softened bones. A side effect from the shark DNA created an over abundance of cartilage which his body reacted to by using in the creation of his bone structure. While a shark lives in the water and therefore has no impact on its bones, it was a much different story for Kleer. The only comfort was that his body quickly rebuilt the cartilage and a clean fracture was completely mended in a matter of minutes while a jagged break only took a few days.  
  
The car drove for several miles before pulling into an old steel mill where several of the escaped anomalies had been hiding since the break from Manticore. Cond flashed the headlights through the cracks of a large door which was quickly slid opened by a menacing looking creature who was covered in scales and with unusual bone structures jutting out on his head and face. As they passed through Kleer nodded at the scaled creature-human hybrid who shut the door behind them and walked after the car. 


	4. Run, Run Fast

Run, run fast, X-2 134 thought to himself as he dodged behind another tree and sprinted on all fours through the forest. His long tongue fell almost to his chin as he panted for air in mid-sprint. All four of his appendages were working over time as the scenery around him blurred together. He mentally decided to take a break when he made it to his rest point. It never occurred to him that there was no one to assign him a rest point but himself. After nearly twenty minutes of outright running in fear he dove over a mossy hill and into a small creek that barely dampened his padded palms.  
  
He let the water congeal in his heated hands and swirled it around to cool them off before lapping the water up with his tongue. Suddenly his long ears picked up a sound in the distance. He perked up and looked around smelling the air cautiously. He could scarcely comprehend that they had caught up to him already. X-2 134 waited silently but heard nothing more in the still air and that began to bother him. There was no sound of birds or crickets, even the soft trickling of water running over his thickly padded feet seemed to echo and reverberate around the trees. Without a second thought he pulled his tongue into his mouth and dashed through the water, his hind legs kicking up water and the soft mud on the bottom of the creek.  
  
There was still silence no matter where he ran and it frightened him even further that the unfeeling ones were all around him. They had begun hunting him early that morning and they always seemed faster and smarter than he was. Never in his life had he felt this type of fear and he would have just as happily never had to feel it again. Suddenly the water just in front of him splashed up at a very small point. He didn't know it at the time but this curious occurrence was a sphere of lead that had sped after him from four hundred and fifty yards behind him.  
  
"Damn it," Freedon cursed as he shouldered his silenced rifle and took back to running along the creek. His heavy military boots scraped along the rock and caused him to slip several times on the slimy creek stones. He could imagine the gloating Caine would be initiating if he killed this one before him like the last two. The adrenaline gland in his brain began pumping over time as Freedon pushed himself harder to catch up to his prey. It was only a few minutes before he burst through a set of bushes to a point where the creek split into two and there between the two creeks X-2 134 laid face first in the mud and Caine stepped carefully across the creek to where the body rested.  
  
Freedon slowed down and waited for his lecture as they both walked up onto the body. "Well, this is where you gloat and give hunting tips, right?"  
"Awwww," Caine sarcastically whined as he leapt the last puddle of mud onto the rock outcrop separating the two creeks, "it's not my fault you can't keep up."  
"I had a clean shot back there. I don't know how he dodged it."  
"Tell yourself whatever helps you sleep at night."  
"Whatever Caine. I'd still like to know how long before this White starts hunting us down like these mistakes," Freedon complained halfheartedly as he pleaded his conscious for forgiveness of the lost life before him. He softly nudged the anomaly with his steel toe boot but the wolf hybrid mistake didn't move.  
  
"Do we need the body?" Caine asked hoping the answer was no.  
"Nah, no one knows how many of these there are so our words just as good as evidence. No way to know when the last of them are gone."  
"Renfro would have wanted evidence. Even Lydecker would have."  
Freedon shook his head hopelessly, "Don't start this again. What's it matter who we get orders from? No matter who dies or turns traitor there will always be someone to give us orders."  
"Ever think that we should change that?" Caine asked in fake apprehension but left a tinge of sarcasm in his voice.  
"Go ahead and make jokes. Let that NSA bastard hear you talk like that and he'll have you bagged and in turn you into a human popsicle just like Madame bitch."  
  
Freedon turned away and walked off after motioning for Caine to follow him. They walked down the creek bed and continued to talk on the way back to report their statistics. "How do you think Terrence is doing?" Freedon asked almost as if he were worried.  
"I think you know the answer. It's a hopeless cause and yet he keeps on at it. He brought in two anomalies this morning tied together with his rifle strap and White had them shot right there," Caine lamented. He kicked at a stone before continuing, "I can't say I don't feel the same but I'd rather have these beasts dead then roaming the streets and killing the innocent. If we could just lock them up then that'd be great but whether we do it or bring them in they're still dead."  
Sadly, Freedon nodded, "It still worries me. What's to say he won't have us taken out?"  
"Let's just stay useful and worry about it when it comes."  
"And if it does?" Freedon pursued.  
"Then we'll find someone else to be useful for."  
"And Terrence?"  
"I don't know. He's reprogrammed but I don't think it'd take much to convert him. Maybe send him off into the world or something," Caine stated doubtfully.  
"No, we'd have to take him with us. He's got nobody in the world now with the X-6's barely a memory. Soon the few that were kept in the holding cells will be taken out too."  
  
Caine and Freedon continued talking and after almost an hour they broke into a clearing filled with men in military fatigues bustling about with their orders. They were on their way to report to White when a loud scraping sound could be heard on the asphalt and then the screeching of tires. A group of young Manticore kids went running from a group of soldiers who were about to execute them. Freedon tapped Caine on the shoulder and pointed to a woman riding a motorcycle dodging bullets and racing away with pieces of asphalt flying up in her wake. The kids seemed ran until they were out of sight and several soldiers jogged after them but it was obvious they didn't want to come in close contact with them.  
  
"Let's stow away somewhere before Mr. Suit sends us after them. I don't want to kill any kids. They're not like the anomalies," Freedon spoke as he watched where the kids had been and shook his head sorrowfully.  
"Yeah, I saw an outcrop by the side of the road about a half mile up. We can grab our rations and keep out of sight. Just say we bagged another one of the beasties after wolfie."  
  
They started to walk away when a man standing nearly six and a half feet came up beside them causing them to nearly jump but they tried to hide that they had been startled. "What's going on guys?" Terrence asked.  
  
Freedon tried not to stare at Terrence but he was one of the largest people to come out of Manticore. Up and down his arms were white scars contrasting with his darkly tanned skin. Freedon knew that under his military fatigue shirt were a dozen more scars from when he had thrown his body over his two sisters to protect them. Even with his size several bullets broke through his frame and had killed them. With reindoctrination it was something that Terrence only knew of in the recesses of a thoughtless nightmare. Freedon knew only too well as it had been his shot who had finally taken Terrence down. It was a miraculous thing that he had survived.  
  
"We're not here. Just getting our rations so we can still be out in the forest," Caine said layering the sentence with suggestive hints.  
"I get it," Terrence sighed. They were still treating him as if he was different from them. Terrence knew that there were things in his past that he couldn't remember and that they saw those memories when looking at him. It had worn him down over the past year that there were pieces of his life that belonged to everyone but him. The thought was made worse that Terrence felt that these pieces would have changed the puzzle of his life dramatically into something he might have loved.  
  
The three of them walked swiftly and with purpose out of the camp and no one stopped to bother or question them through either fear or lack of caring. As they sat down and made sure they weren't visible from the road Terrence was the first to break the silence, "The woman on the motorcycle. I get the strange feeling that I've known her from somewhere. Like in a dream or something."  
"I didn't really get a good look at her," Caine replied honestly.  
Freedon shrugged, "It's not our concern until Captain NSA makes it our concern."  
  
Terrence winced at their insults in fear that for some impossible reason White would over hear them. Still, he logged the woman riding the black Ninja into his mind to bring up at a later date. Caine and Freedon were talking but Terrence could feel something resurfacing about the woman on the bike and he couldn't verbalize it or even comprehend it. He felt around and picked a rock up off the ground and scratched onto the smooth stone that made up the outcrop. The scratching didn't alarm Caine or Freedon who were too busy digging into their rations to notice. When he was done Terrence shook himself from his daze and looked at what he had carved, 332960013452. It was a barcode.  
  
Deeper in the woods all that could be heard were the sounds of the water rippling around the body of X-2 134. Even the birds didn't dare make a sound as the water pooled and ran over the anomalies body. Slowly and achingly X-2 134 pulled himself out of the water and without a second thought sprinted deeper into whatever lay ahead of him. 


	5. Pure Contention

Alec scratched the back of his neck subconsciously as if the barcode would just rub right off. He watched as Harbinger walked down the alleyway towards him but he was still a far ways off. Alec focused in on him and could see he was counting the money he had one from the fight just twenty minutes before. Alec turned to the two men he was with and quickly went back over the plan, "Alright, you take him out and the money is yours. Take him out in under two minutes and," Alec stated as he pulled out two hundred dollar bills, "you get this too."  
  
Their eyes lit up at the sight of the money and quickly hid amongst the trash and darkness of the alley as Alec walked away and hid in a corner to keep a close watch on the events. He smiled devilishly but he wasn't sure what he was smiling about. The fact that he had tricked two idiots into getting their asses kicked or that he had found Jared.  
  
Jared "Harbinger" Parker, better known as X-6 752 pushed the money he was holding into his jacket pocket as he brushed his light brown hair out of his soft brown eyes and smiled to himself with the way things were going. He was making more money in one week than most of Portland's residents could hope to make in a year which was fairly ironic for a man who had no real need or want for money. He ran the tips of his fingers along a dumpster in the alley and was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to notice the labored breathing that was coming from in front of him.  
  
Suddenly a two by four came swinging out of the darkness and Jared knew he didn't have enough time to block it or dodge it. He held his head back and turned his shoulder into it allowing it to shatter in splinters. He locked his teeth together as the cuts from the barbed wire were reopened on his shoulder and began to taint his shirt a crimson red. Reaching out with his right fist into the darkness he grabbed his attacker by the back of the neck and threw him face first into the dumpster. Turning towards him he started to kick him to make sure he didn't get back up when his left foot was kicked out from under him. Jared landed painfully on his back and almost let out a cry of pain.  
  
The two men were already over him punching him in the stomach and trying to fish the money out of his jacket pocket. Jared didn't try to block their hits as he placed his hands over his head and rested them firmly on the asphalt. It was poor leverage but he flipped himself over and quickly swept his legs around in front of him and successfully kicked out his first attackers legs. Jared leapt into the air and flipped onto the dumpster as his eyes clouded over and hardened showing only rage. The second man was already circling to the other side of the dumpster as the other man pulled himself up and did the same.  
  
Jared set his teeth firm and let his eyes rest as he remembered his nerve and tension training at Manticore. He quickly adopted a state of readiness as the two men rushed in at him. On top of the dumpster Jared had a slight upper hand but the position made it hard for him to predict their next moves. They both tried to grab at his legs and Jared found himself leaping over them and kicking them into the dumpster in mid air. Unfortunately, Jared hadn't timed the kick right and he landed on his hands and knees in the alleyway. He quickly spun around expecting the two to be rushing at him but they merely held their hands in the air. Jared almost let a smile slip out as he looked at the two who were totally intimidated when a bright flash of light blinded him and he felt a Taser sting into his back.  
  
Alec had watched the fight and had also seen the police officers show up and rush down the alleyway. He figured they had come to shake down a tenant for bribe money and decided to use the opportunity to feel better about themselves by beating down a civilian. Alec started to move swiftly down the hall when he stopped in his tracks as Jared stood up and threw one of his attackers at the police. They quickly pulled out their guns but Jared was already diving behind the dumpster which he knew would provide minimal coverage. The four police officers covered themselves rather well as they stalked around the dumpster.  
  
It had gone on far enough as Alec rushed down the alleyway letting out a yell of alarm to get their attention. No sooner had the officers looked up than Jared had leapt from the shadows taking one of his attackers down to the ground hard. Suddenly another shadow seemed to leap out and began pummeling one of the attackers. Alec kept rushing and was soon amongst them as he swiped out one of the officers nightsticks and laid it heavily into his stomach. Turning around he jammed it deeply into the officers back who fell to his knees and collapsed.  
  
Alec turned to see one of the officers pointing his gun at him and Alec almost smiled at the situation but the cop let out a grumbled moan of fear and ran off down the alleyway after the two attackers Alec had spoken with. Alec smiled in triumph as he turned around two find two 9mm Glocks pointing into his face and chest.  
  
"Are you serious?" Jared asked incredulously.  
"Totally," Alec remarked, "Manticore's pretty much gone. Definitely not a problem for us anymore."  
  
It had been two hours since the fight in the alley and Jared, Seth and Alec sat in a coffee shop nursing a few bruises and some cups of bland old coffee. Seth had only said a few words the entire time but Jared didn't need him to say anything. It was comforting to know that he was always around watching over him and the others even when he wasn't there. Jared would have expected Jacen to have taken that job but he had his own problems to deal with.  
  
Alec had a smile on his face the whole time. One of the few times he didn't have to force the smile to complete an outward facade, "So how have you guys been?"  
Jared shrugged, "Can't complain I guess. How about you though? Been well over a year since I last say you. How's freedom treating you?"  
"Not as well as I'd hope. It seems we've got a new problem. Max, I'm sure you know her, let out everyone at Manticore. Including the anomalies."  
Jared's mood sank several levels as he slumped deeper into the cracked vinyl padding of their booth. He shook his head sadly, "Any other news?"  
"A lot to go over in just a few hours but I'll give you the breaking headlines. Manticore's pretty much gone. Renfro is officially deceased. Anomalies and happy gun toting NSA agents run rampant.  
  
Seth had to spit his coffee back into the cup to the disgust of Alec before blurting out, "Renfro's dead?"  
Alec nodded satisfactorily, "Yeah. Max had gone to take care of her for burning down Manticore but she says a guard accidentally shot her."  
"You don't think she did it do you?" Jared asked doubtfully.  
"Not likely. She's not the type to go around killing people even if they deserve it."  
"Or even handle a gun," Seth added.  
  
Several moments of silence reigned supreme as they all digested the information before them. Surprisingly it was Seth who spoke first, "Does something need to be done about them?"  
Alec ran his spoon across the table slowly watching it leave a brown, coffee streak behind it. He took is time in thinking before responding, "I think they might. Some of them don't seem to be a threat. I met one of them while Max was at Manticore but I'm not sure about some of the others. The NSA seem to be content in hunting them and all of the Manticore offspring down though."  
"Max was at Manticore?" Jared asked surprised.  
"Yeah," Seth nodded knowingly.  
Alec was a little surprised Seth knew but also answered, "Yeah. She was taking down one of the facilities and was shot in the chest. Apparently they took out X-5 599's heart and gave it to her. They tried reindoctrination but failed pretty miserably at it."  
  
Jared and Seth just stared at each other like Alec wasn't even there. It was as if they were transmitting thoughts without words. It was starting to get eerie and finally Alec snapped his fingers in front of them and nearly shouted, "Wake up!"  
  
They both groggily shook their heads and the huge revelation that was just laid on them. Seth went back into his quiet apathetic mode forcing Jared to ask the important questions. "Zack is dead?"  
Alec shrugged, "You mean 599? I'd be willing to bet so. Might have kept him alive for harvesting but I doubt he hobbled out of a burning Manticore with no internal organs and brain shot to shit."  
Jared shook his head as if waking from a long dream, "He shot himself?"  
"To save Max."  
"Damn, well it looks like we have a lot to do now."  
"What's that?" Alec asked.  
Seth looked up at him through his deep gray eyes and responded, "First we tell Jacen. Then we see what he wants to do."  
Alec shook his head, "I'm not taking orders from some X-6. You guys are alright and everything but the friendship line stops at giving orders. I just came to share information."  
Seth's face showed no emotion as if he were bargaining an important deal, "You want to run around in a world with nomil..... anomalies and NSA running after you?"  
"No, I don't want to run around in the world at the whim of some guy on a power trip either."  
"It's not like you're forced to do anything. Think of it as a partnership. You can walk out at any time."  
  
Alec thought about it for a few moments and nodded emphatically, "Let me go back to Seattle and see what's going on there. Give me a week and I'll meet you there."  
Seth nodded approvingly, "Alright." He turned to Jared, "You go get Wren. As much as she doesn't want to see us we'll need her.  
Alec watched Jared nod in acquiescence and then responded, "What about Terrence?"  
Jared was the first to ask, "What do you mean?"  
Shrugging Alec replied, "He's back at Manticore or at least around somewhere."  
"Damn. Another thing to bring up with Jacen," Jared replied. "Let's get going." 


	6. Blurring The Lines

"Hold on, phone," Seth said before stepping across the alleyway and picking up the receiver to the broken in payphone across the street.  
  
"You've reached the number you dialed," Seth smiled inwardly at the thought of Logan's answering machine but his outward facade stayed permanently apathetic as always.  
"Seth, it's X5-494. I mean, Alec."  
"What's the word?"  
"Gonna be another week in Seattle. Just got some things to take care of. Personal shit."  
"How's Max?"  
"Still clueless as to the repercussions of her actions. Long as they don't affect me."  
"Good. Keep things in perspective."  
"Has Jared contacted Wren yet?"  
"Not sure," Seth said as he checked over his shoulder, "waiting for his call too."  
"Oh okay. You going up without me or do you want to wait?"  
"Nah, I'll wait for you. His place is just in the border to Alaska and about fifteen miles from any roads. I don't feel like making the trip alone."  
"Anything else I should know about?"  
"Nope, everything's the same."  
"Alright. See you soon."  
"Yep."  
  
Seth hung up the phone and stared at the keypad for a few moments before walking back across the street and back to the man in the shadows. "Anything else I should know about?"  
  
Donald Lydecker folded the manila envelope he held and passed it to Seth, "Not yet. Keep in touch." With that he walked down the alleyway where his car was waiting for him. Seth looked down at the envelope and opened it slowly and slid out the two papers inside. One was a regular sheet of paper full of statistics and graphs while the other was on glossy photo paper and showed Max's DNA make up. 


	7. Unknown Intentions

A man in a black leather trench coat sat on a bulky stool in front of a poorly made table. His short black hair was slightly damp from sweat from having to stay in a room with all of the windows and holes in the wall closed up. His eyes were closed as he wiped at the sweat trickling down from just above his brow. Kleer's eyes flicked open and the single hanging light above him danced in his black pupils giving him a ghostly appearance as he sipped at the murky water in his cup.He greatly hated the time before and after two actions because the time between was a matter of forced patience.  
  
He set his cup down on the uneven table and made sure it would stay steady before reaching down below the table for a cobbled together, Viking sword. The handle was made of some undistinguished wood covered in gritty black masking tape for grip. The blade was just barely four feet long and looked as if it was once a beautiful steel sword and the crude handle was definitely not worth of it. Now the blade was covered in grime and nicks and scratches raked across the metal. Kleer stared at the reflection of his dark eyes as he twisted the blade in his hand watching the distorted effects.  
  
Slowly standing up, Kleer walked over to the back wall where two hooks jutted outward. He gently, almost ceremoniously, balanced the blade on the hooks before kneeling down in front of it. He bowed his head in respect and began to mumble words that only he could understand. A tribute to his creator who he only knew as Sandman. It was he who had given him the old blade before departing from Manticore and leaving him down in the dungeons where he had dwelled for years before Renfro stumbled upon him. She had given him drive and purpose with the role of hunting down escaped Manticore kids after the escape of the X-5's. With her concern for the public knowledge of the anomalies he had mastered hunting silently and leaving no trace. Unfortunately, in his time working for Renfro he had only hunted down four escapees but had made sure his presence had never been seen.  
  
A knock at the door broke Kleer's train of thought causing him to stand up and sit back at the table before calling out, "Come in."  
  
A hunched over creature slowly dragged himself in and sat at the other side of the table. He carefully eased his leg under the table and whimpered in pain. Kleer stared at the anomaly in front of him and wondered how he must have looked when first born. He doubted that his obvious Simian features developed over time or were genetically altered after his birth. Kleer made a mental note of the creature's injury before speaking, "How can I help you?"  
  
The anomaly let out several squeaks and then a deep grunt while gesturing madly. Kleer slowly nodded as if he understood what he was saying and waited for when he had finished before responding, "I see." Kleer thought about what an appropriate way of escape was and decided to take a stab at faking understanding, "I'll talk to Sturm and see if he has any ideas."  
  
The Simian nodded emphatically and a forced smile showed off crude and broken teeth. Kleer started to stand up but sat back down when getting an idea, "I think you should have a name. Someone of your importance should have one. I guess we'll just go with the obvious choices. How about Simi or Monk?"  
  
The anomaly thought about it for a few moments and then grunted deeply. Kleer took a stab again, "Monk it is. Why don't you see about your leg while I discuss your thoughts with Sturm?"  
  
As Kleer closed the door behind him he took one last glance at Monk who was swelling out his chest in pride and Kleer silently shook his head before closing the door. He disliked misleading him but he knew the importance of respect and fear. In this case Kleer could use all the respect he could garner. He made his way quietly giving silent nods and pats on the back to all he passed before sliding the outside door and stepping out into the cool night.  
  
A soft zephyr caressed the beads of sweat on his face and quickly brought down his temperature. He inhaled the air deeply and looked up at the night sky with longing. His senses told him that another presence was beside him and rather than seem alarmed he decided to play as if he was omniscient. Glancing next to him he noticed a large canine creature with scraggly fur and large eyes that stared up into the sky as if trying to see what Kleer was looking at. When the canine noticed Kleer looking at him he turned to face him and Kleer smiled brotherly, "Nice night huh?"  
  
The canine creature turned his head slightly but kept his eyes on Kleer as if he was trying to get a different view of him. Kleer started to think that he didn't understand him before he responded, "Yes. Dark night. Keep us hidden." His voice was deep and guttural but also very compassionate sounding. It gave Kleer the idea that when he could make his voice extremely frightening and disturbing if he wanted to.  
  
"Definitely one upside. What's your name?" Kleer asked.  
"X-2 134 but they call me," he trailed off just slightly and sniffed the air before responding, "they call me Nathan."  
"I saw you come in today. Any problem escaping or finding us?"  
"Hunted by X-4's. Not easy but I made it out. Use their faults against them. Their pride. Their arrogance. Their egotism."  
Kleer smiled knowingly and nodded sympathetically, "Great job Nathan. I'm glad to have you here with us."   
Kleer was about to go back inside but Nathan's hand stopped him but not in a threatening manner though Kleer took quick notice of the long thick claws on his thickly padded hands. "What your intentions? Others follow your lead. They know not where, I think."  
"I'm not sure of that yet Nathan. Gathering us together is goal number one. Then, I don't know."  
"Talk is you fight two nights ago. Talk says you kill X-6's."  
"Not exactly. I didn't kill anyone but I sent Manticore a little present."  
Nathan nodded, "I stay with you now. See what later brings. Your intentions good....... Nathan stays. Bad...... Nathan still might stay."  
  
Kleer smiled and patted Nathan on the back before stepping back into the old warehouse. As he slid the door shut behind him his mind quickly shifted Nathan to the side of useful in a never ending file of everyone he had met since the escape. Most of those inside were asleep on the ground or on old crates. Those lucky enough curled up on old blankets and torn up mattresses from what was once the sleeping quarters of a guard center in the front of the building. As Kleer carefully stepped around them and into the back room he noticed Cond sitting with two others off to the side and made a mental note to watch Cond more closely.  
  
As he opened the door to his little room he was relieved to see that Monk was gone and so he once again sat at the table on his crude bench. His eyes were nearly all black with just crescent slivers on the outsides. With a sigh he picked a point on the wall to stare at until morning and hoped that sleep would come in a week or two. 


	8. Peeling Through The Layers

"I'm on my way to Portland," Alec said into the phone as he rubbed the back of his neck.  
"No," Seth stated quickly, "I'll get to Seattle and we can leave from there."  
"Alright. Just hurry. I want to get out of here." Alec's voice was shaky and full of anticipation.  
"What's wrong? Something I need to know."  
"No. You don't need to worry about it," Alec stated half-convincingly. Seth was about to say something but Alec continued, "Ran into some trouble up here. Caused some too. I just need to get away from Seattle..... and Max."  
"Cat trouble?"  
"You could say that. It's some whole transgenic Manticore disease thing. Kind of stuck Max with it."  
"Well, don't worry about it now. We'll deal with whatever as it comes. Right now Jared and Wren are coming to Seattle so we'll meet up with them after we go to Alaska. Not exactly going to be a happy reunion though."  
"Why not?" Alec asked.  
"Not a happy split. Wren........ felt differently about Jacen than he did for her."  
"Oh," Alec stated. "Oh!" Alec repeated when what he meant sunk in. "That's a little twisted."  
"I don't know. I try not to analyze things that don't concern me."  
Alec smiled, "I know what you mean. When can I expect you?"  
"Soon. I'll leave in an hour."  
"Okay, I'll see you at the space needle. About midnight?"  
"Yeah. Later."  
  
Seth hung up the phone and turned around slowly. It was going to be a long few days and he didn't try and tell himself that everything would come out fine. Rubbing his eyes and reminding himself to sleep soon, Seth swung his leg over his motorcycle and gunned the engine off into the distance.  
  
A figure in the dark slowly stepped from the shadows and into the small shaft of light emanating from the phone booth but still the figure was covered in darkness. It was as if the shadows melded around him and darkened the area. He pulled the hood of his sweat shirt down revealing a pair of creamy eyes and completely bald head. The man let out a hiss through his crooked teeth and formed a smile that would terrorize any creature no matter how evil.  
  
Cond stepped closer to the payphone and picked it up. He typed at the keypad slowly as if struggling to remember the number he was dialing. After a few rings the other end picked up but there was no voice. Cond was the first to speak, "We have a....... gathering." A few jumbled words came in over the line and Cond replied, "No..... Seattle."  
  
Donald Lydecker slowed down his vehicle as he replied to Cond, "It doesn't matter anymore. It may have in the past but now I have bigger things to cover. I promise you that I won't get in your way but I won't stop twice at putting a bullet in your twisted head." It had been a thin line Lydecker had been walking since Manticore had fallen. Playing every side had it's disadvantages but at this time he was coming out on top on every issue. White, Max, Eyes Only, Cond, Renfro, and even this new evidence failed to trap him in a corner. Now he was able to throw out everything else and focus on the history of Manticore and what Renfro had always withheld from him. He didn't even hang up as he flipped his phone closed and tossed it onto the passenger seat. He picked up the pictures he had taken from the burial site earlier and gave them a glance before the car beneath him shuddered under an impact from behind him. 


	9. Event Horizon

Seth hid his motorcycle at the same motel where he had stayed the night before he and the others went after Zack. When he left the building he was filled with a strange feeling that he had never really experience before. It was like a compassion and respect for the motel itself. As if it were a living thing with thoughts, feelings, and memories to share. There were several points that Seth could lay his finger on and say that everything changed there. Even though nothing had ever happened at the motel, he could tell that this was one of those places.  
  
He walked casually down the darkened streets and checked his watch every few minutes. He had arrived in Seattle about fifteen minutes early and didn't know if Alec would already be at the Space Needle or not yet. As he walked down the alley he examined the options in front of him. Ever since the night that they split up Seth had always looked at a situation from every angle. He would look at a problem and ask himself, What would Zack do? What would Lydecker do? What would Jacen do? It was this method of thinking that had given him contacts throughout the US and even a few in Canada and Mexico.  
  
Seth had aspired to be every bit of the brother Zack supposedly was but without the betrayal or constant reprimands. He knew the only way that people could learn a lesson fully was to learn it on their own. It had killed Seth to stand by this rule in situations like when Jared started cage fighting or when Wren was apprehended for assault. It was a lonely road that he walked, with a scenic view of others around him failing. His only goal was to pick up the shattered pieces and mend them back together. For him, this wasn't just about X-6.  
  
Over a long period of time Seth had learned to keep track and guess the movements of the Manticore kids. It hadn't taken him long to find Jace, Jondy, or any of the others. The only one who had eluded his inspection was Zack. It was some consolation that it hadn't been through his lack of effort, but through the lack of Zack among the living. He silently chided himself for being so blunt but he had learned through his years at Manticore that planning and caution were the most important things and those rules applied out in the real world much more than they did in the prison of Manticore.  
  
As Seth neared the Space Needle he saw Alec leaning against an outside railing. From a distance, he could see the look on Alec's face; it was one of desperation and despair. The expression surprised Seth, since he had the impression that Alec let everything slide off his back. Apparently the weight was getting too much to carry, but for now Alec still had what it took to wipe it away and look like nothing was bothering him as he noticed Seth approaching.  
  
"Hey Alec," Seth smiled in a friendly manner.  
"Hey, where's your bike?"  
"Hid it a few miles from here. You've got a ride right?"  
"Yeah. It's parked on the other side."  
"Good. We'll need it to get to where we're going."  
  
Seth followed Alec as he led him to his car but neither said a word. Still nothing was said as they climbed in and Alec drove away. Seth tried to preoccupy himself with the crude directions he had to Jacen's place just inside Alaska. It was going to be a long drive as each carried their burdens with silent dignity. 


	10. Point Of No Return

"We did train you well but I'm afraid not well enough," Donald Lydecker mused aloud as he checked Zack's vitals for the third time that minute. Two more interrogation technicians were checking equipment as Zack groaned into the leather strap in his mouth. A prod nudged his back again with several thousand volts of electricity causing his young body to spasm.  
  
Lydecker stepped back into view as the electric arc subsided but Zack's eyes were to blurry with sweat and tears to see him properly. "We know you were the one behind the escape. It's useless to resist. We just want to protect them and bring them home safely. You have no idea what it's like out there." It had been three days since the escape but to Zack time was meaningless as the only tangible sensation was pain. A deep pain that bored into him.  
  
"Just tell us where you were planning on meeting and it will all be over," Lydecker kneeled down next to Zack and wiped at his brow, "it's just not worth it son.  
  
Zack gritted his teeth to the point that his jaw clamped shut on it's own volition. The word "son" echoed in his head and he used it to block out any thoughts of his brothers and sisters. He felt like he was being enveloped by a sense of nothingness and then there was nothing but black.  
  
Lydecker stood up and shook his head sadly. He rubbed at his weary eyes and forced a yawn back down into his chest. It had been almost four days since he had last had any rest. The technicians automatically began shutting off the equipment as Zack lapsed into unconsciousness. "Guard," Lydecker called to the soldier outside the door, "take this X5 up to the mess hall. Bring him around and start him cleaning it top to bottom. Take someone else up with you to watch over him. When he's done keep him working until he's asleep on his feet. Then bring him back to me."  
  
Zack's eyes were shut as he scrubbed the floor to the mess hall with a small toothbrush. The two guards with him were off against the wall to his left but escape wasn't anywhere in Zack's mind. It took all his mental and physical effort not to collapse on the floor. He knew what would happen if he were brought back down to Lydecker. Someone else had been on the other side of the large room cleaning the North Corridor and was just entering the mess hall. He could just barely imagine the relief of whoever had been given the punishment of cleaning the North wing to find him on the floor scrubbing at it.  
  
With a heavy sigh, Zack hoisted himself up and tried to see to the other end of the building. All he could see was a blend of shapes and colors that seemed to spin on their own. Suddenly a heavy weight slammed into his chest and sent him tumbling into a table next to him. Zack wasn't sure what was going on but he felt as if intense pressure was being applied to various places over his body. Finally, when the pressure reached his head, he lost consciousness again.  
  
Holden McNeil dropped the five cards in his hand on the ground and swore as he lost another hand. A crash sent him spinning around to see one of the X-6's slamming his fists into the X-5 on the concrete floor of the mess hall. The guard he was playing cards with, Banky Edwards, was already rushing towards them. It took both of them to pry the X-6 off of the X-5 but it was too late. He looked as if he had beaten to death. His face was mottled in different colors of red, black, yellow, and blue. The crumpled mass barely looked like the young child it was.  
  
Jacen didn't resist as the guard tore him off of Zack but he didn't need to. A look of grim satisfaction took hold of his face at he looked down at Zack's limp form. That look of satisfaction faded as Zack involuntarily coughed up blood and let out an animalistic groan.  
  
Jacen awoke with a start and he found himself sitting in his favorite chair in front of the fireplace. The crack and hissing of the fire caused his senses to come alive as he shook his head vigorously and pawed at his eyes. As his vision clarified he found himself staring at his right hand that had just been rubbing his eye. A long burn scar ran down the underside of his arm and he traced it with the fingertips of his left hand. He felt how it curved and moved down his skin with no definite destination but to reign burning pain down his arm. After the night with Zack and Lydecker and all the others, Jacen found himself unwilling to have the scar removed.  
  
Sometimes he hated that he was made the way he was. That he was made to be as close to perfection as humanity would ever get because for all of his genetic perfection he still retained the flaws that afflicted all of his species. Flaws that varied from person to person and that could never be healed, broken, or fixed. The scar on his arm was a flaw that was not part of how he was made. But it was a strong part of who he was. It scared Jacen that someday Manticore might achieve the impossible and create someone who was devoid of compassion, emotion, and was completely calloused.  
  
Yawning and stretching out Jacen stared into the fire and mentally noted how chaotic its movements and actions were. There was no set path for it to follow and no way to stop it once it had what it needed. A soft, content smile passed over his face and he pulled a blanket up to his neck and leaned the reclining chair back even further. Seclusion gave Jacen much time to think but perhaps, he wondered sometimes, it was too much time to ponder what he should leave alone. It was all a matter of time.  
  
Times change and people do as well. The question that he had to ask himself was whether he was willing to change. It's an interesting thing to consider: Is it possible to prevent change? Jacen was one to hope so but in the end he found himself a different person. No longer X-6 645 but simply Jacen Parker, average man. He still had trouble remembering his own last name even with his Manticore hive mind. He had to check his sector passes to ensure he was who he was.  
  
If one were to take everything that mattered to Jacen at the time he walked away from his family he would be left with nothing. It was one of the hardest things he had ever done to abandon them. No, Jacen thought, not abandoned. Set free.  
  
It wasn't as if they had to start their lives over but they had to start their lives. Never did they have so many options open to them and at first it seemed like a daunting task to pick a place and settle down. In the end Jacen did what he thought was most unlikely for someone like him to do. He found that he couldn't get more secluded having his nearest neighbors over fifteen miles away.  
  
He no longer marched but tried to copy the walk and actions of those around him. Blending in was something he was going to have to get better at. Especially knowing that Lydecker would eventually find out the truth and would be searching for him. He could imagine the rage in Lydecker's eyes when he learned the news that they were alive and had abandoned Manticore. In the end it was better than any act of defiance Jacen could think of but there was more to his exodus from Manticore than just hatred. He knew it was the best choice for his family as he had known since he originally planned to escape.  
  
It saddened Jacen that sooner or later they would be found out by Lydecker either through announcing their own presence or by Lydecker tripping and kicking the rock they were hiding under over. Jacen's mind flashed with images of his family both dead and alive and his eyes turned cold once more. It was so hard to believe that in one night he had lost so much. All that was left was the four of them and a part of him told him to quit while he was ahead but the other side screamed that vengeance was needed. Wait, Jacen though to himself, not vengeance, justice.  
  
Being dead did have its advantages as he eventually found out. It's amazing how few people bother you when you don't have a government sanctioned bounty on your head. Jacen had withdrawn from life to look at himself more clearly and focus on who he was becoming. In the end he regretted not taking the time to make sure Seth, Jared, and Wren settled down but then again it was tense enough telling Wren that he wouldn't go with her.  
  
She had left with a look of rejection in her eyes and nothing Jacen could say would change that. Jacen stopped worrying after the first few weeks since he knew Seth would look after her well enough and Jared could easily fend for himself. It was just a matter of losing someone so close to you. They were all he had and in one night a well laid plan turned out to be a funeral for several of those he loved the most. In the end he had to honor them in some way and Jacen knew that the time would come when retribution would be dealt out in a swift manner.  
  
Just not this soon. There is a time and place for everything and as Jacen sat in his reclining chair and stared at the fire crackling in front of him he knew that the time would approach sooner than he wanted. 


	11. Singularity

Nathan grunted softly before wearily crawling in several small circles and laying down. He found it hard to get comfortable on the unforgiving concrete. All of the blankets and padding that had been found in the area were already in use, so he was forced to resort to imagining a soft bed in his mind from the cement. He was about to stand up again when the large door slid open just enough for a body to slip through. His keen eyes picked up Cond moving stealthily into the room. Cond slid the door shut and waited several moments in the shadows as if waiting to see if his actions had been detected.  
  
Cond stalked around the bodies scattered on the ground until he reached someone in particular. Nathan watched as the two conversed for a few moments and stayed prone on the ground as Cond searched and conversed with another cohort. After the second conversation, Cond went to Kleer's door, knocking softly before entering. Nathan, of course, could not hear what was said inside the room but he had a feeling that it wouldn't be quite the same as what he had told the first two. Soon after, Cond emerged from the room with Kleer. They spoke a for a moment and Cond went off to one of the smaller rooms to the side where he slept.  
  
After watching Cond leave, Kleer went to the outside door, slid it open, and moved to leave. As he slid the door shut a large paw broke through from the darkness, stopping the door from closing. Kleer took a step back as Nathan stepped out and closed the door shut. The two walked a few dozen yards away from the building before Kleer turned and started pacing back and forth. Nathan waited patiently as Kleer tried to organize his thoughts. After a few minutes, Kleer turned and walked towards another building, this one in far worse condition than the others. It's walls had been darkened and eroded from a fire that had ravaged the area decades ago. As Kleer stepped through the doorless entry way, Nathan followed.  
  
Kleer ripped away a misshapen stack of charred lumber to reveal a surprisingly new looking motorcycle underneath. Before Nathan could ask, Kleer answered, "I stole it about a week ago. Figured if I needed to get somewhere fast it'd be useful."  
  
Nathan nodded solemnly, "And Cond?"  
Kleer smiled as he stared at the bike and nodded, "I didn't want to rely on his car either."  
  
A sound outside of the pile of rubble they were standing in caused Kleer to stiffened. Nathan sniffed the air and crouched low to the ground, motioning for Kleer to do the same. Kleer was about to ask Nathan who it was but he shook his head quickly. He pointed to Kleer and then pointed outside the door and mouthed the word, "Go."   
  
Kleer didn't understand what Nathan was going for and definitely did not like the idea of walking out the door into a potential ambush, but something about Nathan told him to trust him. As Kleer stood up and walked to the door, he glanced back to see if Nathan was following but just briefly caught a glimpse of Nathan running on all fours in the opposite direction. As Nathan ran, Kleer took a closer look at his hind legs. Moments ago, the had been the legs of a normal person, bending forward. Now, as he ran, the bent backwards, just like those of the wolf whose genes he obviously shared.  
  
He shook his head and stepped out into the open making, sure his footsteps were heavy enough for even the dimmest stalker to find him. As he walked back towards the warehouse, he had the distinct feeling that he was being watched. As he turned around he spotted Cond standing directly behind him with a smirk on his face. The two just stared at each other for a few moments, as if waiting for the other to initiate whatever was about to happen.  
  
"Going........ somewhere?" Cond asked rhetorically.  
"Not right now. Why do you care?" Kleer asked as he pushed his feet harder into the ground to be ready for whatever lay ahead.  
Cond slowly paced a circle around Kleer but kept himself at the same distance. "You see...... Kleer...... very simple........" Cond started in a menacing hiss, "those in there......... they believe you......... You leave........ they not stay........."  
Kleer shrugged, "Maybe they're better off if they don't stay in one spot."  
"Now I know........ you don't really...... believe that."  
"You plan on making me stay Cond?"  
  
Cond smiled devilishly as he shook his head, "Not fair......... I can't....... but they can." As he finished his sentence several transgenics stepped from the shadows of the surrounding buildings and into the moonlight. "Now fair," Cond added before pointing at Kleer and motioning to the others, "play nice."  
  
Kleer stepped in a quick circle and found four of the people that Cond had been spending most of his time with. Two were rather normal looking anomalies while the other two had traits that Kleer couldn't even begin to guess at. He stepped slowly into the center allowing the four of them to surround him when he noticed that the two normal looking ones were carrying heavy lead pipes. Kleer sighed heavily when he heard the familiar sound of a long piece of metal sliding against another solid material. A smile played on Kleer's features as his Viking sword spun through the air and imbedded itself at his side.  
  
Kleer found his confidence returning as he pulled the blade from the ground. He scratched a circle around him just within the reach of the blade. To Kleer, this was now a battle of honor and as such was sacred. He had learned of that honor while in the dungeons of Manticore with Joshua before Renfro had found him. It was Joshua who had taught him of Sandman and had given him the blade that he had made himself.  
  
The two anomalies of unknown descent were the first to dash in but a quick swipe of Kleer's blade sent them back, as they sought an opportunity to attack around the blade. One of the normal anomalies, who Kleer quickly categorized as Baldy, leapt forward but Kleer swept the pipe away with an almost surreal grin. The other pipe-wielder, now classified as Lead, tried swinging at Kleer from behind. Kleer dropped to his knees and slid his blade down his back. The pipe slammed into the blade and sent Kleer rolling forward. Kleer leapt up from the ground and sent a slash at Baldy who blocked with his pipe.  
  
Kleer leapt back and spun his sword effortlessly as he stared at Baldy and Lead. From the corner of his eye he kept watch on the two who were cautiously waiting for an opportunity to attach. Kleer waited for the two to circle close to each other before he leapt into them with a rolling dive. He shot up quickly and swung at Lead but was blocked aside. Missing that mark, he spun his blade around with intense speed, grazing Baldy's throat as he simultaneously crouched down, knocking Lead's legs out from under him. Kleer instantly drove into Baldy as the two slammed blade against pipe, causing sparks to flash into the night sky.   
  
Kleer was too busy with Baldy, that he failed to notice as the other two anomalies came up from behind him. They were nearly at his back when a voice roared from the darkness, "Behind you!" Kleer jumped up, using Baldy's shoulders as stepping stones to flip over the other two coming from behind; carving his blade down their backs. One of them fell down whimpering while the other hit the ground and crawled away in a panic. Baldy and Lead roared in fury and charged. Kleer took his blade, tossed it to them, and they threw their pipes instinctively up to block it. Kleer was a blur as he rushed under their arms; he elbowed Baldy in the gut and punched Lead just before his blade fell into his grasp. He delivered three slashes to their mid sections and both fell to the ground rolling in pain.  
  
Kleer's shoulders heaved as his labored breathing finally escaped in ragged gasps. He turned to the remaining anomaly who was shivering in fear on the ground. The lone creature recoiled in horror, shivering on the ground as Kleer stood above him. A partial moon cast his features in total darkness and all the twisted anomaly could see was the deep darkness of his eyes. Kleer raised his blade above his head, the blade shimmering softly in the moonlight. The figure on the ground gave a gasp of fear and fainted with a thud on the ground.  
  
Kleer let the sword spin around so he was holding the handle and the blade rested behind his arm. He turned slowly to Cond who still stood with a smile on his face. Kleer stalked towards Cond, his lips parted just slightly showing a pair of sharp, glistening canines. Cond didn't move as Kleer began moving faster. With a short run, Kleer let out a howl as he neared Cond who still smiled placidly. At the last moment Cond dropped onto his haunches and sprung out into Kleer. The two collided in midair and collapsed to the ground.  
  
In a jumble of fists and kicks a glistening piece of metal flashed through the night. The two were barely sane as they tumbled around the ground biting and kicking, when they both suddenly stopped. They were surrounded by over fifty transgenics who had, until just recently, been sleeping in the warehouse. A few anomalies picked up Cond and pulled him away as Nathan did the same to Kleer.  
  
Cond immediately saw the potential of the situation and shouted out, "Stop him! He attacked them!" as he motioned to the four anomalies writhing on the ground.  
  
Most of the transgenics were shocked by Cond's accusations, but they doubted Kleer would cause such damage. One person covered in dark ragged fur stepped forward from the crowd and quickly assessed the situation before calling out, "Peace! We will arrive at the answers." She stepped to Kleer who had his head bowed as he knelt with Nathan supporting him from behind. "Did you attack these men?"  
  
Nathan was quick to respond, "No. Not Kleer."  
Kleer shook his head, "Stop. Yes, I did."  
  
An audible gasp arose from the onlookers as the peacekeeper continued, "Then I don't see any other choice. Kleer, you shall be-"  
"NO!" Nathan roared out in a voice that sent a shiver through all present. "Self defense. I saw. Cond attacked Kleer."  
"Is this true?" the peacekeeper asked to Kleer.  
"Yes, but....." Kleer trailed off as if searching for something that he couldn't quite grasp.  
  
The peacekeeper, Tyr, scratched at her ear before speaking, "If this was self defense, then why didn't you say so?"  
Kleer looked up at Tyr and sighed, "They did not deserve this. They were innocent."  
"They assaulted you and you have this to say?" Tyr asked incredulously.  
"Compassion must be had for all."  
Tyr shook her head sadly, "Sometimes you are blinded by your faith Kleer. Not everyone here is as good as you think they are."  
  
Kleer shook his head, "That's not it." It sounded as if he was about to continue but instead he stopped there.  
  
Tyr approached Cond with the slightest hint of apprehension. She spoke with a whisper of a threat, "This will not be tolerated Cond. I've never trusted you and it brings me great pleasure to banish you from our alliance. You will never return among us." She turned to two transgenics, "Take him away from here." She then spoke up, "If any of you wish to follow this disgrace then do so now." She watched in disgust as seven others joined the four who had attacked Kleer and left with Cond, who left quietly, a small smile on his face.  
  
Tyr turned to Kleer with a look of sadness on her face, "It saddens me to say but this rule applies to you too, Kleer. You may never again join us. An attack on one of us, even those who are traitors, will not be tolerated. Perhaps, in time, this decision may change, but only because of your faithful service in the past and that you committed this act in self defense."  
  
Kleer stood up slowly, his ashen face turned to apathetic stone. He knew that it was his rules that Tyr was forcing him to follow and he felt great despair for having to leave. A tinge of pride filled him as well in the small consolation that it was he who had taught Tyr to follow their creed of alliance. It was he who had taught Tyr to speak nearly fifteen years ago when he had found her after Joshua had freed him from his cell. She had been a scared little girl trying to deal with her abandonment and her feline DNA. Now, at this moment, he felt like a father watching his daughter achieve her potential.  
  
Kleer turned around and walked away, trying not to let his sadness show. Tyr kept her back to the onlookers as she wiped at the tears welling in her eyes. She told herself to be strong as she watched several others follow after Kleer before turning to the forty or so still remaining. She raised her voice but couldn't stop it from cracking, "Everyone inside. We don't want to be caught out here." 


	12. Reunion

Two figures trudged wearily in the early morning through what was often waist-high snow. Seth and Alec were growing weary from their fifteen mile trek and looked forward to reaching their destination. Seth rubbed his nose and scanned the skyline in search for the familiar signs pointing to Jacen's cabin. It took him a few moments to get his bearings while Alec drank from a flask he had in his back pocket. He smiled and replaced the flask, "Anything to get warmed up."   
  
Seth forced a grin, though the warmth never crept into his cold eyes, "Only another ten minutes, so don't get too warmed up."   
  
After a few more steps Alec could feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. The tension in the air was almost too much to bear and he soon found that neither he or Seth were walking anymore. Seth was standing completely still as his gray eyes flicked back and forth around him. Alec could feel a pair of eyes on him as he slowly shuffled in a circle looking for signs of their stalker, but all he found was endless snow. He was beginning to think it was nothing but that didn't explain why Seth was reacting in the same manner.   
  
As the two stepped softly around in the snow, a pair of blue eyes eagerly watched them. The creature laying in the snow only a few feet away clenched his jaw shut tight in fear of letting his breath give him away. He set his long tongue up to the roof of his mouth to keep from salivating into the freezing cold. It was cold and unsettling to sit so still, but he waited eagerly, trying not to stir his hind legs.   
  
Alec was about to ask Seth if they should continue on when a large creature covered in fur leapt from the white snow and with less than two bounds had tackled Seth. The two of them collapsed into the deep snow and Alec watched the two wrestle around, not completely sure of what to do. After a few moments it became clear that Seth had lost the battle as the large Siberian Husky crouched over Seth, licking his face.   
  
For the first time ever, Alec heard Seth laugh for joy as he shoved the large creature off of him and pulled himself up. He wiped at his face in mock disgust while bearing the first real smile Alec had seen from him. Seth knelt down to the dog and helped him shake the snow out of his fur as he spoke to Alec, "His name's Feral. Can't believe how big he's gotten. Only a year old now. I remember when Jacen picked him up as a puppy."   
  
Alec squinted his eyes in an attempt to moisten them, scanning the horizon for signs of where Jacen's place might be. "I take this as a sign that we're close?"   
  
Seth glanced up at Alec and his smile faded, "Yeah. Only a few hundred yards." Standing up, Seth started walking but refused to look at Alec, who had just ruined his moment of happiness. "Come on Feral," Seth called, "you too Alec."   
  
Alec looked as if he was about to comment but decided to save it for another time. They continued on for another ten minutes and Alec was about to question Seth again when he caught sight of a hill jutting out of the snow at an awkward angle. His eyes zoomed in and clarified the edges of the hill to confirm that it was the slanted roof of, what could only be, Jacen's house. Feral ran ahead of them and around the corner to the front of the house while Seth and Alec picked up the pace as the going got easier as they grew nearer to the house.   
  
As the two rounded the corner they found a body lying face first in the snow a few feet from the door. Seth rushed ahead of Alec, who continued at his own pace, and was standing over the figure. When he looked down at the back of the limp forms neck, he could see it was Jacen's barcode.   
  
A light shift in snow caught Seth's attention behind him and something struck just behind his left knee causing him to falter and fall to his knees in the snow. Jacen was immediately up and swinging his right foot towards Seth's head. Seth instinctively blocked with his left arm and dropped down onto his side. Rolling quickly away, Seth spun up into the air, landing in a ready fighting stance. Jacen lay on his back and with a slight rock backwards, leapt onto his feet.   
  
The two stared at each other for a few moments before smiles broke on both of their faces. The two of them covered the distance between them almost instantly as they embraced each other in a brotherly hug. Jacen was laughing softly as he patted his brother on the back but his smile dimmed distinctly at the sight of Alec making his way to them. Seth backed up and threw a punch into Jacen's shoulder, "So the old man has to live out in the middle of nowhere huh? Place needs a damn ski lift."   
  
Jacen's eyes brightened as they left Alec and focused on Seth, "Maybe if you came more than once a year then the walk wouldn't be so hard. Getting slow in our old age, are we?"   
  
Seth laughed out loud and threw an arm around his brother, pulling him into his house. Jacen glanced over his shoulder as he walked in, "Come on Feral," he glanced over at Alec, "you too, X5-494."   
  
Inside Jacen's house it was warm and had a cozy atmosphere. Dark earth tones dominated the decor of every room and the place was almost meticulously clean. Jacen sat in his recliner with a blanket over his legs as he sipped a cup of coffee and stared into it. Seth and Alec sat at opposite ends of the couch across from Jacen. They had told Jacen that there was a problem that Max had created but Jacen had stopped paying attention afterwards. After a few moments, Jacen commented, "She lets her judgment cloud her actions. I can't say it's never happened to me but the extent Max goes to....... she creates problems for us all."   
  
Alec nodded and slapped both of his hands on his knees as if they had come to a decision, "So you'll come with us, right?"   
  
Jacen looked up from his coffee at Alec, "Yes, X5-494. Unfortunately, things are happening at a rate too fast for us to sit back and do nothing."   
  
"It's Alec," Alec quickly filled Jacen in.   
  
Clearing his throat, Seth spoke up, "There's more to this than just that. I'm going to be blunt because I don't know of another way to put this. It's probably going to sting. Ready?" Jacen took a moment to mentally prepare himself before nodding. Seth continued, "Zack was killed when helping Max bring down the DNA lab at one of Manticore's main facilities. Terrence is still alive and currently working with Caine and Freedon around the forests of Manticore for an NSA agent, named White, bent on killing every transgenic. And, to top it all off, when Max escaped after staying in Manticore, Renfro burned the whole building down and officially destroyed all of Manticore. Unfortunately, all of the transgenics were released and while some have been hunt down by this White guy, many of them escaped, including all of the anomalies. Oh, and Renfro was killed in the escape."   
  
Jacen blinked a few times but didn't say anything. Alec and Seth waited silently for Jacen's response. After nearly two minutes, he finally spoke, "We go to Seattle and meet with Wren and Jared. We'll find out what we can there and prevent any potential problems. I'm thinking there will be a lot of anomalies that aren't fit for this world. If they become a problem then they'll have to be...," Jacen paused while looking for a good way to put it, "solved."   
  
Alec nodded with a smile on his face, "Excellent idea. Now, I'll leave all of this up to you guys. No offense, you guys have the right idea and I wish you all the luck, but I'm not getting into a problem that isn't mine. I've done enough as it is."   
  
"That's your decision Alec," Jacen said in an almost fatherly tone. He liked being able to refer to him as Alec rather than X5-494 since he had long ago shed his own number.   
  
"Good. Glad you didn't get all 'Save The World' on me."   
Seth shrugged, "We know how you feel."   
"I'm going to want to head back to Seattle with you guys. I've got a debt I need to repay," Alec added.   
"Sounds fine," Jacen started, "I've got some things to gather up but then we can take my snowmobile down."   
Seth groaned, "Easy for you to complain about the distance with a snowmobile."   
Jacen smiled as he stood up and motioned for Seth to follow him. He called over his shoulder to Alec, "The snowmobile is in the shed. Might as well get her warmed up and filled up."   
  
Alec stood up and stepped out the front door as Seth and Jacen moved to the spare room in the back. As Jacen opened the door, Seth was surprised to see that there were several duffel bags in a pull sled, ready to leave. Jacen sat down on a long bench that looked as if it had seen its fair share of use over the years as it creaked and swayed under his weight. Seth sat gingerly on it and was surprised when it supported his weight with ease.   
  
"How are they?" Jacen asked quickly, looking anywhere but at Seth.   
"They're great. Jared's involved in a series of under ground fight clubs but I think he'll be getting out. Alec followed his idea in Seattle and ended up with some problems with White. So I think I'll relate the story to Jared as a way to get him into something more honest."   
Jacen smiled at the thought of Jared but his smile faded when he continued, "And Wren?"   
Seth sighed and thought about his words carefully before speaking, "She really cared for you. Not just as a sister."   
"I know."   
"She's doing very well. Wren adapted much better than Jared did. She works at a restaurant some days, a bar on some nights. I wouldn't want to assume too much, but she seems content with what she's doing."   
"And here we come to mess things up."   
"We need her. There are no two ways about it. I don't know if we can do anything about White, but if the anomalies get in the news too much...."   
Jacen finished for him, "We'll get caught in the crossfire."   
"Alec says that not all of them are dangerous. I know not all of them are so strange. It's just the ones that defy those categories."   
"Yeah," Jacen ran a hand through his short blonde hair, "but we'll have to deal with White."   
Seth nodded, "Terrence."   
  
Jacen leaned back on the bench against the wall behind him as he voiced his thoughts aloud, "And Zack."   
"And Zack," Seth concurred.   
"Not really sure I believe it. I still remember how I felt the night of the escape."   
Seth nodded knowingly, "Me too."   
  
Jacen pushed himself off the bench and grabbed one of the rope leads to the pull sled and Seth quickly stood up and grabbed the other. With their combined Manticore bred strength they quickly had the sled sliding across the floor and down the few steps separating the warmth of his house from the cold, harsh world of reality. Alec had pulled the snowmobile over and Jacen expertly tied the leads of the sled to the back of the vehicle.   
  
Alec quickly sized up the sled and spoke up, "This thing won't be able to hold all that and the three of us."   
Jacen nodded, "I know. I figured you or Seth could take it down and I would bring up the rear."   
Seth smiled and nodded to Alec, "You can drive. I have to show the old man that I can still trudge along with the best of them."   
After a little rummaging Jacen produced a pair of snowshoes and a large grin, "Good thing you're up to it because I've only got one pair."   
Seth looked at the shoes and almost laughed, "Those are supposed to help you? I'll stick with my own feet, thanks."   
  
As Alec pulled away at a slow speed, Jacen was quick to follow with Seth pushing himself hard to keep up. It took considerable strength to keep up with Jacen, but as they found a solid pace side by side, Seth had to ask, "Any real plan in mind?"   
  
Jacen shrugged, "To Seattle."


	13. Departure

"To Seattle," Kleer stated simply.   
  
Nathan walked next to Kleer who seemed to be walking with no care for what direction he was headed or that there were methods of reaching their destination other than walking. Three others were walking several yards behind them, not wanting to interrupt Kleer's thoughts. Nathan, however, knew Kleer would need someone to talk to. "You see, everything work. No worry."   
  
Kleer didn't even smile, though his mind was telling him to. They had been walking for nearly fifteen minutes and Nathan wasn't even sure if they were walking in the direction of Seattle, or really where Seattle was. Nathan glanced back every now and then, almost expecting those behind them to disappear but they were always there and Nathan was grateful for that. Nathan went through his options on what to say but was coming up short in courage to say them. Part of him said that Kleer should express his thoughts while the other feared that the recent events might send him over the edge. He did not want to see what Kleer was like when he was angry.   
  
It had almost been twenty minutes when Nathan decided that something had to be said. As he opened his mouth to speak he was drowned out by the sound of a motorcycle shooting past them. Kleer didn't even glance over as the bike raced past him, only three feet away. The motorcycle sped several dozen yards away before it began to slow down, wavering about as if the driver was having trouble controlling the vehicle.   
  
The rider removed his helmet to reveal a large mane of dark hair covering an oddly shaped face. The person seemed to have a snout that extended outward from his small face. He had no nose but only small nostrils just above his rounded mouth, much like that of a chimpanzee. His dark beady eyes were almost too small to see from that distance. Nathan recognized the creature from back at the warehouse, but didn't know his name.   
  
Kleer continued his pace until he reached the motorcycle and stopped. Nathan could see it was the same motorcycle that they had left behind and that this Manticore bred person had brought it for them. Nathan glanced from the transgenic to Kleer who gripped the handle of the bike but didn't climb on.   
  
"Thank you, Monk. I greatly appreciate your support," Kleer spoke but his voice lacked the emotion it usually held.   
  
Monk grunted emphatically and pointed from himself to the bike. Kleer smiled what seemed to be a genuine smile and nodded. The simian-human hybrid's eyes lit up as he pulled the helmet back on and climbed onto the motorcycle, which was still idling. He had barely sat down when the bike shot off and wobbled into the distance. Just before Monk disappeared from sight, Nathan could swear he heard a high pitched shriek of delight.   
  
"You understand him?" Nathan asked.   
"Sometimes I do. Other times, I understand for him."   
Nathan looked puzzled, "What do you mean?"   
"I think he knows that I can't always understand him, so he makes it clear in his own way."   
  
Nathan nodded and smiled hoping that the conversation would stray his thoughts at least slightly from what had just happened, "What did Cond tell you?"   
Kleer glanced up at Nathan questioningly but didn't push for an answer as to how he knew about their conversation, "That there are transgenics gathering in Seattle, X-5's and X-6's. Also, that Lydecker doesn't want anything to do with us anymore."   
"What did we have to do with him?"   
"Cond had contacted him in hopes of a trade. Captured members of the later X series for those of us that he came across."   
Nathan shook his head and his voice deepened, "Lydecker not in charge. Evil man at Manticore. Kills all of us he sees." He sighed and told himself to control his emotions as he added, "Especially us."   
  
Kleer nodded and processed the information, "That would make sense why he doesn't care about what we are doing."   
"And this Renfro?" Nathan asked.   
"What about her?"   
"Cond tell others that she dead."   
"What?"   
"Cond tell others Renfro dead."   
Kleer shook his head, "No, I know what you said. I just can't believe it."   
Nathan shrugged, "Believe what I say. No need question it. I hear everything he tell them."   
"Them? Who were they?" Kleer asked.   
"None you fight with. Others. Not see, only hear."   
  
Kleer smiled and gave an almost playful shove to Nathan, "I knew you'd be useful to have around."   
"So," Nathan started, "you not upset about Renfro?"   
"No," Kleer said quickly. "She found me in the lower cells the night of the X-5 escape. Trained me to hunt down any others who escaped. I'm glad she is not alive to stare at me with her cold eyes."   
  
Nathan nodded but had no idea exactly what Kleer was talking about. He decided that this wasn't the time to question about the unimportant details and took what information he found useful. He knew that Renfro would not be missed and that at least some of the X-5's had escaped long ago at Manticore. Nathan knew he could find out more detail at a later date.   
  
"So what we do?" Nathan asked.   
"We're going to Seattle."   
Nathan nodded, "But then?"   
Kleer seemed puzzled by the question, "When we get there, we will know what to do."   
Nathan couldn't understand that Kleer was relying on fate to lead them to what had to be done. "What we do while we wait to know what we do?" Nathan asked, though the question puzzled him even more than what he was trying to find out about.   
"With Renfro dead, the two X-5's I sent to her will be headed to Seattle. When Lydecker was searching for the X-5's, he established contacts in Seattle. I'm hoping that when the Portland police find that Renfro isn't around that they will send the X-5's to Lydecker."   
"Man at Manticore will try to capture," Nathan stated matter-of-factly.   
"Perhaps, but he might not know about Renfro and Lydecker's standing orders to the police departments. We will see."   
Nathan nodded, "We will see. Can count on that."   
  
"So, where were you when those psycho's were beating on me?" Kleer asked only half-serious.   
"I get sword. Get others. Get Monk. You do fine on own."   
"That's not the point. Two on four would have made it easier."   
"Perhaps. Will never know, will we?"   
  
Kleer glanced at Nathan. His voice was completely serious but his face held the largest, wolfish grin he had ever seen. Kleer couldn't help but smile and found himself laughing softly as they walked after Monk.


	14. Invisible

"Not now," Cond growled into the darkness.  
"You got what you wanted."  
"Yeah. It's still not over."  
"Now it's my turn."  
Cond leapt up, "Like hell it is. We had a deal. You get the information when I get Kleer."  
"You don't have much longer."  
"And you think you can make me tell you where the others are hiding?"  
"I don't doubt it."  
"You're mistaken. You don't belong here."  
"I'm gone for now. But you're time is running out."  
"Don't cross me White. You don't want me as an enemy."  
  
Ames White smiled and turned away, "You don't know the half of it."  
  
"Send 626 and 589 to my tent once they return."  
"Yes, sir," the guard stood at attention as White passed.  
  
Caine wiped his blade in the grass in an attempt to remove the blood on it but he succeeded in only leaving murky streaks. He wasn't a fan of White's new policy of removing barcodes as proof of the kill but he wasn't about to challenge his authority. Freedon closed the plastic sleeve that contained the new barcode and slid the book containing dozens of barcodes into the duffel bag over his shoulder. "It's getting slow around here," Freedon remarked as the two of them walked back to camp.  
  
"Any transgenic stupid enough to hang around here deserves what they get," Caine replied halfheartedly though they both regretted every kill.  
  
"Splinter 7 this is base, over," shouted the walkie talking strapped just behind Freedon's shoulder.  
Reaching around he clicked the send button and spoke back into the receiver, "This is Splinter 7."  
"What's your status?"  
"We have confirmation of another kill."  
"Good, you're needed back here. Report to White upon arrival."  
"Understood, over."  
  
They had never stopped for a moment but their pace had slowed considerably, "Wonder what the freak wants now," Caine groaned.  
"I really don't want to know. It's only a matter of time before he doesn't need us anymore."  
"I'd say that time is approaching quickly. Not much action left around here."  
"You think it's a problem?" Freedon questioned.  
"With the X-7's he has total blind loyalty. Maybe we should think about getting out of here."  
"Abandon our mission?" Freedon replied in shock.  
"Not exactly," Caine started, "but I think it's time we tried to find Lydecker. Maybe he'll know what to do. I trust him a lot more than this one."  
"Maybe you're right. But when should we leave?"  
"Let's see what White has to say first. If we don't show up soon then he'll send someone after us. But if he has an assignment for us then we'll have more time to get away."  
"But what if it's a trap?" Freedon asked.  
"Then we'll have to fight our way out."  
"And Terrence?"  
"Oh, he's coming with us. I'm not leaving him to get his barcode torn off."  
  
The thought presented a gruesome picture in their minds as they found themselves on the edge of the perimeter. A group of identical X-7's eyed them through their cold black eyes and Caine fought down a shiver and tried to grasp to his superior rank. He wondered if they feared him at all or even respected him. Deeper, he wondered if they thought or felt at all. Caine wasn't sure which answer would more surprise him.  
  
The two of them went straight to White's tent and knocked on the guide pole, waiting for White to give them entrance. "Come in," a voice called from inside.  
  
Pulling apart the tent flaps to the largest tent would usually yield a luxurious residence of whatever leader resided inside. But not in White's tent. Inside were boards filled with charts and maps of the surrounding area as well as dozens of print outs of genetic make-ups and sketchy lists of the residents of the lower levels of Manticore. A twin sized cot rested in the corner of the room with a single blanket and pillow folded on top of it. White sat at a large drafting table with a mug of coffee as he poured over perimeter patrol routes and callsigns.  
  
"Sir?" Caine stated as he and Freedon stood at attention.  
  
White looked up as if just realizing he had invited them in and swiveled around on his stool. He looked as if he was already bored at their presence and wanted them to leave. "I've got a lead on some anomalies in the Seattle/Portland area and I want you three to check it out. They may have information regarding where a larger group of these transgenics are hiding." White's voice bred contempt at the thought of the anomalies and it left a bitter taste in his mouth that lasted as he stared at the two in front of him. "By you three I mean you and 6 872."  
  
"The field office has everything ready for you," White continued. He looked at the two for several moments, "Why is it you're not already leaving?"  
  
Caine was caught off guard and immediately began pushing Freedon out the tent flaps and back outside. The two of them hurried to the field office where several packs were lying on the floor with several sets of identification strapped to the packs. No one even looked up at them and it gave them both the feeling that they didn't exist. That they weren't important enough to acknowledge. Freedon noticed they had two full packs but there wasn't anything for Terrence.  
  
Stepping to the table where a young man was filling out forms, Freedon spoke up, "Where is X-6 872?"  
The man looked up to Freedon but it still felt like he was looking down on him. "872 left about 2 hours ago on an outgoing supply truck. You're to meet up with him in Portland. You're Hum-V is in the North Block in slot 7-B." He then went back to his paperwork as if Freedon had already gone. Picking up his bag, he followed after Caine and no one in that room would remember their presence. 


End file.
